STUDIO DOLLARS: The Omni Community Redevelopment Agency’s board — which is the City of Miami commission — last week allocated $1.1 million toward planning, design, permitting and construction of the Miami Entertainment Complex. Projected to cost $10.6 million, the complex is to house a state-of-the-art film studio funded, built and run by the agency at a 2.78-acre Overtown property at 29 NW 13th St. purchased in February. The $1.1 million allocated is the same amount the agency earned by selling a 44,000-square-foot portion of the property to the Florida Department of Transportation.

MIAMI AUDIT: Miami commissioners chose accounting firm Ernst & Young as the city’s external auditor 4-1 last week. Francis Suarez voted no. The three-year contract is to escalate each year, with $415,000 paid for the first year, $427,000 the second and $440,000 the third. The contract also includes two one-year extension options, costing $453,000 in year four and $467,000 in year five. The city could have stayed with current external auditing firm McGladrey & Pullen, which had two one-year extension options left and would have saved the city $25,000 in fiscal 2012 and $37,000 the following year, but commissioners opted for the bigger-name firm. "It may be time for us to move to a Big Four accounting firm," Marc Sarnoff said. "And anybody who thinks that doesn’t matter to your bond rating, I just want to beg to differ with you."

TROLLEY DEAL: Miami commissioners gave City Manager Johnny Martinez the go-ahead to negotiate a contract for rubber-tire trolley operations on multiple routes with Limousines of South Florida, the top-ranked firm in a request for proposals, last week 3-0. Frank Carollo and Francis Suarez were absent for that vote. If negotiations fail, the manager is to negotiate with the next highest-ranked firm. Four companies competed for the trolley-operations contract. This was the second go at bidding out the project. The last request for proposals generated one response.

JACKSON LABOR CONTROL: The Miami-Dade County Commission on Tuesday required that the Financial Recovery Board overseeing financially battered Jackson Health System bring all proposed labor agreements with Jackson employees back to the county for approval. While the commission can approve an agreement with a majority vote, it would take a two-thirds vote to disapprove or amend one.Complete coverage, including The Insider and all information columns, is available in the e-edition. Sign up at www.miamitodaynews.com